Samsung I7500

It's been a while since we've heard much news about the Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500, so it's a pleasure to see these live photos of the white version of the handset. Rumored for some time, but until now unsighted in the wild, the images landed in the grateful hands of Arne over at the::unwired.
According to his tipster, the white Galaxy you see here will be identical, feature-wise, to its black counterpart. That means Android OS 1.5 Cupcake, quadband GSM, triband UMTS/HSPA, WiFi b/g, Bluetooth and GPS, together with a 3.2-inch HVGA AMOLED touchscreen and 5-megapixel camera. The Galaxy's 3.5mm headphone socket isn't such a big deal now that the Hero has arrived with the same thing, but it's still something we're glad to see.
Worth noting is that, no matter how much we might like it to be, this isn't a leak of the Samsung GT-I5700 Galaxy Lite, just a white version of the original Android smartphone. Nothing definite regarding launch, but it's tipped to hit O2 Germany first before spreading to other European carriers.

French carrier Bouygues Telecom have revealed that they will be offering the Samsung I7500 in early July, with a new name: the Samsung Galaxy. Still bearing the 3.2-inch AMOLED 320 x 480 touchscreen display that makes it so unique, the Galaxy will offer HSDPA 7.2Mbps/HSUPA 5.76Mbps (900/1700/2100MHz) and quadband GSM.
No pricing has been announced for the Samsung Galaxy on Bouygues Telecom, but the carrier has confirmed that it will offer the handset with its "neo.2" unlimited internet package. Otherwise the phone has a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with Power LED flash and the usual suite of Android software.
O2 Germany was first to call the I7500, announcing that the touchscreen handset will arrive on their network in June 2009. So far we've not heard about any US carrier picking up the smartphone, though the I7500 cleared the FCC recently with T-Mobile USA 3G support.
[via Unwired View]

It's the photoshoot we've been waiting for: the HTC Magic and the Samsung I7500 getting up close and personal. The two most-anticipated Android handsets of the year have been compared in a CNET Asia photoshoot, showing that when it comes to measurements and in-hand feel, there really may not be a whole lot in it.
Bear in mind that in this photo the I7500 was slightly closer to the camera, and running an early firmware version which led to the AMOLED touchscreen being dimmer than it will be at launch. The I7500 lacks the hardware search button of the Magic, but it has a 3.5mm headphone socket whereas you'll need an adapter to use your own headset with the HTC.
Frankly, both look like impressive devices, but the Samsung edges ahead when it comes to specifications. It's the camera that will likely swap most people: at 5-megapixels, with flash and autofocus, it's higher than the 3.2-megapixel sensor in the HTC.
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Going by the feedback in the Android Community forums, Samsung's I7500 is one eagerly anticipated cellphone. The good news is that the AMOLED touchscreen smartphone has cleared the FCC, complete with support for T-Mobile's 1700MHz 3G network.
While the FCC report contains no new information regarding the I7500 beyond what Samsung themselves told us at the handset's launch, it's nonetheless good to see that a US release is pretty much confirmed. Ostensibly similar to the HTC Magic, in that it lacks a hardware keyboard, the I7500 brings with it a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, plus 8GB of onboard storage.
What's still unclear is when the I7500 will reach the US market. T-Mobile USA have made no official comment as to whether they will be offering the I7500, and so far only O2 in Europe have confirmed that they will be launching the smartphone, at an unspecified date over the summer.
[via PhoneScoop - thanks ghettoyungin718!]

T-Mobile USA's Android roadmap has leaked, and it brings with it a number of as-yet unannounced devices that include the Samsung Houdini and the G1 v.2 "Bigfoot". According to the roadmap, the G2 - aka the HTC Magic, now believed to be called the T-Mobile myTouch 3G - will launch this Summer, a reasonable prediction, priced at $179.
The T-Mobile G1, meanwhile, will reach end-of-life stage at the end of the "back to school" period in early September. It will be replaced by a device listed as the G1 v.2 "Bigfoot", which the graphic would suggest is a slide-out QWERTY device similar to the Helio Ocean 2.
Meanwhile, a Samsung handset - the Houdini - will reach the carrier. There's no telling what connection the Houdini has with the Samsung I7500; it could be a different device, or the image could be a mockup created in advance of real I7500 graphics being available (the same could be said for the G1 v.2). Pricing for the latter two handsets has been blanked out, unfortunately.
[via Boy Genius Report]

After weeks of relative silence from mainstream Android hardware, the past seven days has seen two headline devices reach us. The HTC Magic launched in Europe, the second Android smartphone to hit the market, while Samsung announced their first Android handset in the shape of the I7500.
There's not much we didn't already know about the HTC Magic, but buyers finally have the chance to pick one up on Vodafone Spain at least and, from this weekend, Vodafone UK. We've got all the details here, plus a video unboxing here.
As for the I7500, Samsung have taken their long history in cellphones and piped Android into a slick touchscreen body. Unlike the HTC handsets' rather half-hearted cameras, there's the promise of a 5-megapixel snapper, and the whole thing is just 11.9mm thick. Check out the live images and video demo for the full details.
Motorola's first devices running Android were also tipped; no official announcement so far, but word is that the hardware QWERTY handsets will reach Verizon Wireless sometime later this year. Finally, software made a splash this week, as Android OS 1.5 "Cupcake" finally reached devices. It brings with it features like an on-screen QWERTY keyboard and direct YouTube uploads, but also its own fair share of controversy as developers blame Vodafone Europe for rushing the launch and not giving them enough time with the official release.
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Hot on the heels of yesterday's live video, the Samsung I7500 shows up again for a quick photo shoot. Higher quality than the first set of smudgy pictures we saw, this new set leaves no inch of Samsung's first Android smartphone unseen, including all the ports, hardware buttons and a shot of the battery compartment.
One potential frustration, looking at the I7500 with its rear cover removed, is that the microSD card slot seems to only be accessible if you remove the battery. While many people are content to slot in as big a memory card as they can afford and forget about it (the I7500 supports up to 32GB cards, which are added to its 8GB of internal storage), others like the freedom to switch between or use external card readers, and this arrangement will come as an annoyance.
Nonetheless, it's a handsome handset and we're excited to get our hands on it when Samsung release it in Europe come June. The Samsung I7500 has a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera and GPS/WiFi/HSPA; more details on specification here.
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Smudgy pictures be damned: what we want is HQ footage of the Samsung I7500 to a storming foreign-language rock track. Happily just such a thing has dropped into our laps, courtesy of Tinhte.com, showing off the I7500's 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen to perfection.
The smartphone also looks decidedly thin, and the design of the hardware buttons at the base is very slick. If you've been waiting for the first "mainstream" Android device - thinking HTC's offerings to-date have been a little too "business" in their design - then the Samsung I7500 could be the device for you.
No new news on specifications, but there's not much about the I7500's hardware that we don't know. The display runs at 320 x 480 resolution, and the Samsung has GPS, HSPA, WiFi b/g and Bluetooth 2.0. Internal storage is 8GB, with a microSD slot for up to 32GB cards. More details here.
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[via Android-Freak]

It may only have been officially announced this morning, but already the first live photos of the Samsung I7500 Android cellphone have emerged. Mobile-Review grabbed some hands-on time with the AMOLED touchscreen handset, confirming that HTC's Magic may have some competition when it comes to attractive Android devices.
The Samsung I7500 measures 115 x 56 x 11.9 mm, though the company has not confirmed the handset's weight. As you can see from the gallery below, Samsung have squeezed in a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top panel, which will come as a pleasant surprise for anyone frustrated by HTC's proprietary audio connector.
The microUSB port is also on the top, while along the left-hand side there's a volume rocker. On the right-hand side are what look to be a camera and a voice-control shortcut, though the photos are too blurry to say exactly. More on the Samsung I7500 here.
Live hands on video demo of Samsung i7500 Android phone:
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O2 Germany have officially announced the Samsung I7500 Android cellphone, the first device for both Samsung and the carrier. Tipped over the weekend, the I7500 has a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, together with a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen running at 320 x 480.

Other specs include GPS, WiFi b/g and HSPA, together with 40GB of storage (8GB internal; up to 32GB via a microSD card). There's also Bluetooth 2.0, a 1,500mAh battery and the usual bevy of Google applications and access to the Android Market. The whole thing measures 115 x 56 x 11.9 mm, and still finds room for a 3.5mm headphone socket and microUSB port.
The Samsung I7500 will be available exclusively from O2 in Germany from June 2009. Pricing for the handset itself has not been announced, but the carrier has confirmed that no specific tariffs or service plans will be required; buyers will be able to choose any from O2's range.
Live hands on video demo of Samsung i7500 Android phone:
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Press Release:

O2 exclusively launches: the first Android mobile phone with Google Services from Samsung
 Samsung I7500 with 5 megapixel camera and brilliant touch display
 Simple and intuitive use
 Access to Google Mail, Google Maps and the Android market by one
click
MUNICH. Telefónica O2 Germany strongly expands its mobile phone product
range for the mobile internet. The first Android lifestyle mobile phone with
Google Services from Samsung kicks off the new offer. The Samsung I7500 is
the first Android mobile phone provided by a leading brand manufacturer and
will be exclusively available from O2 as of June 2009. In addition to the form
factor and design with mere 11.9 mm thickness, it primarily stands out by its
simple and intuitive use. The mobile internet offers a great experience for
beginners and professional users alike. The Samsung I7500 combines an
expandable Android platform with first-class equipment: a brilliant touch
screen display, and a 5 megapixel camera with LED Flash and GPS.
“The Samsung I7500 offers our customers the best internet experience based on the
Android platform provided by Google“, says Lutz Schüler, Managing Director
Marketing and Sales for Telefónica O2 Germany. “The Samsung I7500 kicks off a
series of exciting devices for the mobile web which we will launch in the next couple
of months. There is something for everyone: from beginners to heavy users. And, we
put our focus on strong brands, simple use and design.”
Classic applications from the PC world can be comfortably accessed by one click on
the big touch screen when users are on the move. Thanks to the open platform of the
Google operating system, users are able to optimally customize the device to their
own requirements. A variety of applications and services is available in the Android
market. The contact to friends is guaranteed by integrated and freely available Web
2.0 applications like Facebook, Flickr and Instant Messaging. Customers are always
up to date anywhere they go due to the automatic synchronization of emails, contacts
and appointments of Google accounts. All other popular email accounts can also be
accessed.
The integrated GPS receiver enables the comprehensive use of Google Maps: local
positioning, detailed route description and simple navigation. The application
Wikitude available in the Android market allows customers to access details of
unknown sights via photos on the web. The combination of a camera, GPS and an
internet browser turns into a personal and interactive guide.
As the first Android mobile phone, the Samsung I7500 offers a 5 megapixel camera
with LED Flash. The big 3.2“ AMOLED display ensures the brilliant representation of
photos and videos and reduces the battery power due to the energy-saving
technology. The battery has generous dimensions (1500 mAh) and ensures that
users enjoy long calls and access to the web. The device also includes WLAN
(802.11 b/g) and Bluetooth 2.0. Supporting various multimedia codec formats the
I7500 is a multimedia all-rounder. With ist memory capacity of up to 40 GB it offers
enough space for pictures, music and videos.
The Samsung I7500 will be exclusively available in all O2 Shops, the specialized
trade or on the internet from June 2009. The device can be combined with all tariffs
and data packages.